Steely Dan

Steely Dan was an American rock band formed in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, in 1971 by Walter Becker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals). Initially operating as a conventional band, Becker and Fagen ceased live performances by the end of 1974 and continued the project as a studio-based duo, employing a rotating group of session musicians. The band’s music combined elements of rock, jazz, Latin music, rhythm and blues, and blues, characterized by detailed studio production and lyrics often noted for their irony and ambiguity. Becker and Fagen met in 1967 while studying at Bard College and began writing songs together, later performing in several local groups. After moving to New York City, they attempted to establish themselves as songwriters and worked on the soundtrack to the film "You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat". In 1970, they contributed to "I Mean to Shine" by Linda Hoover. They later joined the touring band of Jay and the Americans before relocating to Los Angeles, where producer Gary Katz hired them as staff songwriters for ABC Records. With Katz and engineer Roger Nichols, they formed Steely Dan, naming the band after a reference in the novel "Naked Lunch". The band’s debut album, "Can't Buy a Thrill" (1972), achieved commercial success, producing the singles "Do It Again", "Reelin' In the Years", and "Dirty Work". Their second album, "Countdown to Ecstasy" (1973), was less commercially successful but gained recognition over time. Increasingly dissatisfied with touring, Becker and Fagen shifted focus to studio work, leading to a gradual departure of other band members. " Pretzel Logic" (1974) featured the successful single "Rikki Don't Lose That Number".